amino acid
noun
: an amphoteric organic acid containing the amino group NH2
especially
: any of the various amino acids having the amino group in the alpha position that are the chief components of proteins and are synthesized by living cells or are obtained as essential components of the diet
Examples of amino acid in a Sentence
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When our bodies digest protein in food, it gets broken down into amino acids, which have a hand in many bodily processes, such as building and preserving muscle, making hormones, boosting the immune system and even maintaining healthy hair, skin and nails.
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Jacqueline Howard, CNN Money, 12 Sep. 2025
AnapTh, a fluorescent amino acid, shifts its emission spectrum depending on the surrounding microenvironment.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 11 Sep. 2025
This creamy cleanser skips harsh suds and instead uses a peptide blend with amino acids to strengthen fragile strands while preserving your natural oils.
—Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 10 Sep. 2025
However, both of these scenarios resulted in the copious production of complex organic hazes, including molecular formulas that match compounds essential to life processes such as nucleobases, sugars, amino acids, and more.
—Ethan Siegel, Big Think, 10 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for amino acid
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Jacqueline Howard, CNN Money, 12 Sep. 2025
AnapTh, a fluorescent amino acid, shifts its emission spectrum depending on the surrounding microenvironment.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 11 Sep. 2025
This creamy cleanser skips harsh suds and instead uses a peptide blend with amino acids to strengthen fragile strands while preserving your natural oils.
—Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 10 Sep. 2025
However, both of these scenarios resulted in the copious production of complex organic hazes, including molecular formulas that match compounds essential to life processes such as nucleobases, sugars, amino acids, and more.
—Ethan Siegel, Big Think, 10 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for amino acid
Cite this Entry
“Amino acid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/amino%20acid. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.
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